Ellinwood student Jenna Snell takes first place in speech contest

Editor’s note: Following is the text of the speech that Jenna Snell -- of St. Joseph School, Ellinwood -- presented at the diocesan-wide Modern Woodman speech contest April 21 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her parents are Tom and Jolene Snell.

A Great ... American Leader

A Great ... American Leader. Hmm .... Let’s see, you’ve got Dwight D. Eisenhower -- war-time leader, president. Clara Barton founder of the Red Cross. Amelia Earhart, first woman to fly a plane around the world. Oh, and George Washington, first president of the United States. Those are all great leaders, but the person that I see as a great American leader is Oprah Winfrey.

On Jan. 29, 1954 Oprah Gail Winfrey was born to unwed teenage parents in Mississippi. Oprah had a mountain of obstacles already in front of her as a new born baby: she was female, black, and poor. Her mother, Vernita Lee, was an 18-year-old housemaid. Her father, Vernon Winfrey, was a 20-year old doing duty in the armed forces.

During Oprah’s childhood she was passed around from her grandmother to mother, and then to stay with her father. When Oprah was with her grandmother she was taught never to lie, to read, and how to speak with good grammar. However, things changed. She was passed to her mother. During Oprah’s stay with her mother she was molested by some of her cousins. Oprah’s mother constantly worked and never paid attention to her. That is when Oprah started hanging out with the wrong people. Oprah’s mother couldn’t afford to have Oprah live with her anymore; so she called Oprah’s dad. When Oprah’s dad came to pick her up she was a mess. Vernon told her that she needed to change; to help her he made strict rules. She was required to read five books every two weeks. He did not let her wear make-up, and she had to wear a nice blouse and long loose skirt. Oprah’s father prepared her for future success.

How did Oprah start her career? At the age of 19, Oprah landed her first job as a reporter for a radio station in Nashville. Shortly afterwards she entered Tennessee State University to pursue a career in radio and television broadcasting. In 1976, Oprah Winfrey moved to Baltimore, where she hosted a TV show called “People Are Talking.” The show was a hit, and Oprah stayed for eight years. She was then recruited by a TV station in Chicago to host her own morning show, “A.M. Chicago.” The show was competing against the immensely popular “Phil Donahue Show.” After several months, Oprah’s warm-hearted style had taken her to first place in the ratings. Her success led to a role in Steven Spielberg’s film, “The Color Purple.” In 1986, she started the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” Oprah has come from being a poor black farm girl from Mississippi to a national celebrity. To her resume she can add reporter, actress, writer, producer, activist, and TV talk show host -- but it doesn’t stop there. Oprah, it seems is unstoppable.

Oprah has helped Americans eat right, diet right, and do right. Her TV show has taught various life lessons to millions of people. Oprah has her own magazine. It is called the “O” magazine. It informs people of new fashions and fads. The magazine has cooking recipes, home furnishing ideas, and much more. She has just opened the doors to her self-funded South African School for disadvantaged girls. Before Oprah’s school, these girls were living in poverty. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership academy has long been a pet project of the philanthropist. Oprah has donated over 40 million dollars, and countless hours of her time on this project. This is a dream come true for her. Oprah has pledged to make the school the best in the world.

Oprah Winfrey is a proven leader of this century, serving as a positive role-model for causes such as literacy, education, volunteerism, and spirituality. She has reached out to men and women of all races and ages. Why do millions of people tune in to her show? Because people have realized that Oprah sees everybody equally, and that she is not prejudiced. She is intelligent, humorous, and an excellent communicator. Her rags to riches story has given many people hope, and helped open their doors to success. She has taught a lesson to the world that anything is possible. Oprah Gail Winfrey will leave a permanent mark on American history. Oprah defines inspiration and American leadership. Wouldn’t you agree that Oprah is a great American leader?